DSO nano new bootloader firmware

:angry: Having pursued this further with my supplier I have received this (apparently final) reply:-

deaR:
i am sorry, you can not put the third party firmware into our NANO, just can use our firmware, thank yu for our understanding!
have a nice day!

  • malsdewd

As you can imagine I am not a happy soul as the V2.60 is next to useless, I am going to try to get a refund as it is not as described, see how far I get!!

First of all, Andrey, thank you very much for coming here and writing up the HOWTO. Thank you for putting your Nano through the bootloader flashing abuse once again for us to confirm the steps. I am truely greatful. Спасибо Вам большое.

If I understand correctly, you have to get USB-UART hardware like this ebay.com/itm/Serial-Converte … 4151d82e65 ? FYI, I have not used theses boards or sellers. Its was a quick search.

I highly doubt we can flash old Nano bootloader using e-Design bootloader to flash over itself.

So possibly the easiest way would be to make proper .hex files of Benf firmware.

Can someone attach the 2.60 firmware hex? I want to compare hex formats to Benf.

update: Looked at Quad .hex and Benf .hex and they are different. So we need to rearrange stuff like Recompute offset, split data into 16 bytes per line and compute new 8bit checksum at the end.

Benf 3.64

:020000020000FC
:20C00000B44A002021C100083136010835360108393601083D36010841360108BC3E0108BD
:20C020000000000000000000000000004936010845360108000000004D36010851360108D8
:20C0400055360108593601085D3601086136010865360108693601086D36010871360108D0
:20C0600075360108793601087D36010881360108F9360108FD3601080137010805370108DE
[/code]

Quad 2.53

:10C00000C09000201F650108156201081762010831
:10C01000196201081B6201081D620108000000008E
:10C020000000000000000000000000002162010884
:10C030001F62010800000000236201082562010858
[/code]

Hi motopasscode, I have tried your benf files with no success. The hex files go through all the usual pattern and show as RDY files after copying into nano but it reverts to V2.60 after reboot, the bin files produce a NOT message on both files after copying.
I will try to attach a copy of the 2.60 APP and 2.25 LIB as installed on my nano but if not someone provided a link to it a page or so earlier in the same thread.
Many thanks for any help you can offer. My supplier has told me to return my nano to China (not a financial option on a £40 item) and he will then decide whether to send me another or refund so I am stuck with it. The 2.60 is terrible but Benf 3.64 looks very good to me and this is why I bought a nano.
App 2.60.zip (42.1 KB)

Go to page 5, in 5th post down you will find treasure by Alf. It’s Benf 3.64 that loads with new bootloader.

Hi, firstly many thanks for your help with this issue.
I have downloaded your latest Benf 3 app and copied this and your hex version of LIB 3.53, posted earlier, but sadly the outcome was just as before, both appear as RDY but the nano still reboots into the existing V2.60
Sorry I can’t offer any constructive input but software isn’t my department, I would just like the nano to be as good (as far as the spec allows) as my quad is since installing 2.53 and Benf 3.64 looks very good
Thanks again

For flashing a bootloader yes, you need a UART (there may be options like RS232<->UART converter) and the easiest way is tu buy a USB<->TTL adapter. Cheap like hell. Can do your own as well (e.g. roboforum.ru/forum4/topic10592-15.html#p232256 - sorry, it’s in Russian). If you use a scope you need other convenient tools, so it’s a good investment. You can also consider more complicated tools like BusPirate. Does an awful lot of things but it will take time to learn how to handle it.

Also, there was a piece of software that did *.hex to *.bin convertation. Will try to find it for you - can’t remember what’s the name of it…

Right, search for “usb ttl” on eBay and you can find them for less than 3 $ (with Free Shipping/Buy Now), including cables. Seeed only sells more specialized usb to serial boards as far as I can see.

On Linux you can use: objcopy -I ihex -O binary file.hex file.bin

Anyway, I guess the problem is not the differently formatted hex files, but that eDesign(?) has added some checksum or “certificate” to make sure only their firmwares can be installed. Effectively shooting themselves in the foot, since their firmware is a joke compared to the independent third-party firmware from Benf.

I just flashed the BenF software on the DSO201 with the the new bootloader.
I took the hex files generated by the IAR Compiler and also changed the file names. (V201_LIB.HEX, V201_APP.HEX) and now it works.
DSO201Flash.zip (34.2 KB)

Alf, that has fixed it for me as well. Haven’t checked it all but looks good so far.
Many many thanks to you and everyone who has devoted time to solve this problem.
I won’t be sending my nano back now, now going to learn the ins and outs of benf’s app.
Just a quick question, it comes up as app ver 3.11 how does this differ from the 3.64 app?
Thanks again :smiley:

I copied the source code here:
gitorious.org/dsonano/dso-firmware#more
But this seems to be not the actual version of the BenF SW. If i can get the source for BenF 3.64 i could try the same again.

Hi Alf, have had a look at this 3.11 and it is much much better than the e-design 2.60 but has a few features missing that are in 3.64, if you could work your miracle on the 3.64 app and lib that would be great.
The benf 3.64 is in this forum under “DSO firmware version 3.64” and the file is on the first message, don’t know if this is what you mean you need?

Hello, in this file are only the DFU files and a PDF, no source code. You can convert the DFU files to the hex file with the DFU File Manager but the bootloader can’t handle the generated format. The hex files generated by the IAR workbench seems to work, at least the version that i tested. I will try to get the source code.

Hi Alf, yes I now grasp what you mean, excuse me but I am a hardware engineer so get a bit confused by all this compiling etc :confused:
I have had a quick look and it may well be that the last source code available may well be the 3.11 however I will keep hunting and put any info on here, maybe others with this problem can have a search as well to see what can be found?

Next Step: BenF V364 / V353
I couldn’t find the source, so i chnaged the dfu files.
DFU -> S-Rec -> Intel hex
srec_cat V364.s19 -Output V364_APP.HEX -Intel -Output_Block_Size 16
BenF364_LIB353.zip (49.6 KB)

Alf, looks like you have cracked it. Loaded fine and comes up as 3.64, extra featuresa all seem there, about to sit down and play.
Many thanks again to you and everyone else.

Awesome work. Did you use IAR v 6.x?

I kinda like the new loader because of easier firmware loading not requiring extra software.

Good job, alf! Glad you got it working, and that my guess about checksums/certification was proven wrong. For your information, BenF’s 3.13 version was the last open-source version, there are only minor changes to what’s in the git tree on gitorious.

I used the IAR Embedded Workbench 6.3 (6.30.7.3447)
Thanks for the info about the BenF Source code, so i will not search for the code any more.
At the moment i am glad that it works.

Yes its interesting why the hex file I posted from a zip Benf 3.1 for IAR5 I got from Google code did not work. Maybe the file name matters or maybe IAR 6 format is different. Anyways I glad Alf skills came in handy.

Great job Alf!!
Many many thanks!!!